Breitbart News’ Twitter account used anti-Semitic rhetoric, commonly used in 1930’s Nazi propaganda, to attack philanthropist George Soros’ efforts to combat voter suppression laws. The anti-Semitic attack is in keeping with a troubling pattern of anti-Semitism from Breitbart, which President-elect Donald Trump’s chief strategist Stephen Bannon formerly ran and has bragged is home to the “alt-right,” a racist white nationalist movement.

Linking to a “flashback” story[1] about Soros’ financial role supporting “legal battles against state voting laws,” the Breitbart Twitter account tweeted[2] on November 28, “Like an octopus.”

The “octopus” wording is overt anti-Semitic rhetoric dating back[4] to at least the 1930s, when it was a common theme in Nazi propaganda. The imagery of a Jewish octopus engulfing the globe or ensnaring political institutions can be found on other white supremacist and neo-Nazi[5] online forums, as well as on Fox News’ airwaves.

That Breitbart is attacking Soros with anti-Semitic rhetoric is not surprising -- the white nationalist site was formerly run by Bannon, who has bragged[6] that Breitbart News had become home to the “alt-right” -- which is merely a racist code word[7] for white nationalists[8]. In 2007, Bannon’s ex-wife swore in court[9] that Bannon “said he doesn’t like Jews” and didn’t want his children to go to school with Jews. Under Bannon’s leadership[10], Breitbart attacked media and political figures using anti-Semitic rhetoric, to the point where a former Breitbart employee[11] accused the website of embracing “a movement shot through with racism and anti-Semitism.”

Major media outlets are already whitewashing[12] Bannon’s history of white nationalism and anti-Semitism. Given that Trump also has an extensive relationship[13] with the white nationalist movement and Bannon’s extreme influence in Trump’s White House, media efforts to identify and criticize anti-Semitic rhetoric are more critical than ever.